Tony always knows
by Leigh59
Summary: Just Tony being a smart and not hiding well not so much. Tony centric, some parts will be OOC. Tissue alert last chapter (character death) don't like don't read.
1. Head slap

_Just because I think Tony always knows. _

It had been a long miserable two weeks of back to back cases. Two weeks of Gibbs barking, yelling, demanding results. It didn't help much that he was exhausted working the undercover op for the director and the SecNav.

He would never say no, because he firmly believed that once you took the oath to protect and to serve you did what you had to do.

But he was tired, so very tired he would love nothing more than to go home, a good meal a shot of good Whiskey then to sleep. But he had a better chance of selling ice in Hell than that happening.

Getting off of the his cell phone he sighs with satisfaction. The local LEO's have found and picked up their suspect and are bring him in.

Maybe just maybe he will be able to have the night for himself. Hearing Ziva snicker he raises his head and looks at her questioningly. That was all he needed another snide remark from her she wasn't even an agent.

"Is there something wrong Ziva?"

"I take it your plans to show your manly ability to the college girl you are trying to bed fell through, once again." She says with a laugh.

"Yeah Tony when are you going to give it up and date in your age bracket or maybe women born in your era."

"Very funny McComment, that was the LEO's reporting that our suspect is on his way in he should be here in twenty minutes."

Exactly two hours, that is how long it took to wrap up the case. His report was written and printed out all he had to do was sign it. His knee was killing him as was his shoulder from tackling a man two days before.

He stood up and took three steps before he stopped and pivoted and blocked the head-slap that Gibbs was in the process of giving him. "Don't. The report is done in fact all my reports are done for the week. I'm going home as we are not on call this weekend. I'll see you on Monday." He tells Gibbs keeping his voice neutral.

Ziva and Tim watch the scene played out before them not really believing what they are seeing. Gibbs says nothing at all he goes to his desk and picks up his glasses then starts to read the first of many reports that Tony had put there.

Tony returns to his desk grabs his gear and his weapon, he looks up and sees that Tim and Ziva have not moved at all. "Is something wrong with the two of you?"

"It is just that you have never noticed Gibbs before, I am just surprised that is all."

"You have anything to add McStatue?"

"That about sums it up." Tim replies with a shrug.

"Then neither one of you are as observant as I thought. I always know when Gibbs is near me. I can smell him first, coffee and sawdust. Then I can hear him he walks softly but his knee has a click in it. Lastly I can see him, they call it peripheral vision for a reason and why I was good at playing ball in college. I always know where he is, so I can always protect his six, like he protects mine."

He puts the backpack on his uninjured shoulder enjoying the expressions of shock mixed with anger as it settles on Tim and Ziva's face. "Any other questions or comments?" Not getting a reply he starts leave the bullpen only to stop when he hears Gibbs bellow.

"DiNozzo, my house one hour, bring beer and your sweats, Ducky will be joining us for cowboy steak. Then he will check your knee and shoulder."

"I guess I'd better buy a salad too." Knowing that it is useless to argue with the man.

"Damn right." Gibbs says watching Tony leave.

"On your six, Boss." Is what Gibbs hears just as the elevator doors close.

"What are you too waiting for, get to work."

"Yes boss." Tim replies, with hesitation.

"Yes Gibbs." Ziva says still not really believing or understanding what just happened.

Tim glances over to Ziva and raises his hands in surrender.

"For your information, Tony was telling the truth, he always knows where I am." Gibbs.


	2. Trajectory

_Wow lots of reviews for a simple one shot. I want to thank each and everyone of you that sent me a review. I also would like to thank all of the people that added this to their favorites. Well, I had no intention of writing more but, the muse paid a visit. I hope you all like this one as well._

No new case meant, working on cold cases. Sometimes cold cases were solved when fresh eyes looked at them, not always but it did happen. They found that when things were slow it helped to work as a team on the cold cases as well.

It was Gibbs that broke the quiet of the bullpen entering the bullpen like he always does, with the same stealthy steps he learned all those years ago when he learned to be a sniper.

"McGee, report." Gibbs bellowed as he places his cup of coffee on his desk.

"Not much here boss, the victim was shot in the leg he bled out. There hardly any evidence to be had. This case is twelve years old, the autopsy reports are all here so are the labs. All the witness have either moved away or they are at their new posting."

"Ziver." Gibbs grunts out.

"Abby is going over the evidence. She was not the original tech, as you know. She said that she will let us know. She has not found anything hinky, yet."

"Well DiNozzo, you care to add anything, or are you still going to chat on your cell?"

"Sorry boss, was talking to Dr. Pitt. As for the case there is a mistake, a big one."

"What mistake, I did not see one." Ziva challenges.

"What did I miss Tony? Tim asks his inflection expressing remorse.

"No worries Tim, it took me a second read through to catch it. Bring up the crime scene photo on the plasma will you."

Gibbs walks up to the plasma and waits for Tony to explain. Not a patient man, Gibbs likes to deal with fact and evidence, clear a case and move on to the next. For him his life is his work. Catching the criminal letting the dead rest in peace and giving the families a sense of closer if at all possible.

"The trajectory is wrong, look I'll show you." He says with out any gloating or preamble at all, as Ziva and Tim join them.

Tim stares at him blankly, his eyes full of questions as he sits and works out the math on his own. "How did you figure it out so fast, you hate math, in fact you avoid it."

"I'm the first to admit that I'm not fond of math, this is different, using math to figure out bullet trajectories is purely cop math. That kind of math I'm actually good at doing."

The three agents wait for him to continue, Ziva huffs, Tim shakes his head and Gibbs just growls at him.

"So who taught you this math. Bullets have to many variables wind, rain the list is endless." Ziva reminds him.

"You forgot that I went to a military academy. Senior year, our math teacher was a sniper. He taught us, I've used his formula more than once. I didn't have access to Abby and her computers when I was a detective."

Gibbs accepts the answer without question he has never known his SFA to lie about a skill needed for the job.

"McGee work out the math on the simulator thingy like Abby does."

"Working on it Boss, Tony is right, these numbers are wrong somebody made a mistake."

"Or lied McGee. It's been known to happen."

"Lie on a report? That's perjury."

"I know what it is Tim, but it happens. Lose evidence, no evidence, you know it's the right perp but you have nothing to nail him on. Then there are the times that you are covering up your ass, to protect yourself or someone else. You have to know how to do it, and do it right. Our instructor showed us to do it work the numbers to work in our favor, too."

"You've done this? Change reports?" Ziva asks.

"I will neither confirm nor deny that I have changed any reports here or anywhere else that make the story that was told, fit the evidence that was gathered. Be it outside, or inside a building. All I said was that I know how to do in order to protect someone's ass. If needed." Tony answers then reaches for another cold case.

She walks down the stars into Gibbs basement and watches him for a few minutes.

"Gibbs, do you think he knows?"

"He knows, he has always known. I checked my report my numbers have been changed just enough to make it fit, not perfectly like I had them, I made a mistake, he fix it. Always covering my six, and yours too, this time."


	3. Kate and trust

_Thank you to Flying Piglet for feeding the muse. Don't know if I like this one, but you all can be the judge._

Kate looked and him and shook her head in disgust, he was fooling around again talking on the phone instead of working.

"I'll be right back." Tony tells her after he puts his desk phone back..

"We're suppose to be working Tony. What if Gibbs comes back."

"Tell him the truth I went down to security to pick something up." He says with a smile, a smile that makes her all the more huffy as she returns to her work.

"Where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs asks as he walks by Kate's desk.

"He said that he would be right back he had to go down to the security." She answers.

"You getting anywhere on that lead?"

"Not yet Gibbs I'm waiting for a return call."

"Well move on to the next lead."

Nodding her head she knows that it is pointless in trying to argue with Gibbs so she turns her attention to her computer screen.

Tony goes straight to Gibbs desk smiling the whole way he places a plan white envelope on the desk without a word he returns to his own desk and gets right to work.

"What's with the grin DiNozzo you look like cat that just ate the canary and didn't get caught."

"I just pulled a few strings that's all, for self preservation if you must know."

"What did you do now? That has Gibbs so angry at us." She asks him with a smirk.

"I didn't do anything. Flanna did, I just fixed it."

She stands and goes to his desk. "Who is Flanna some bimbo that you introduces Gibbs to?" Kate asks in a mocking voice.

"No actually Kate, Flanna is Gibbs' mysterious red headed friend. By the way that's what Flanna means in case you are wondering, red headed."

"You said you didn't know her."

"I don't, I know of her, Kate. And every time she gets a speeding ticket Gibbs gets pissed at the LEO's. This time I got it taken care of, now I owe a favor to a LEO."

"Why would you want to owe a favor to a LEO."

"Good working relationships with the locals have helped solve more cases than not. That's why Kate."

"So does that mean that you'll fix my speeding tickets too?" She asks with a coy smile.

"No, only Gibbs he's my partner."

"But, I'm your partner too." She challenges

"No, you're my teammate, not a partner. I trust my life to Gibbs, maybe in time I'll have the same trust for you, but not yet."

He can see the confusion in her face, so he exhales slowly. "When Gibbs offered me this job, I had just found our that my partner was dirty. I was not in a forgiving mood, so I did a little research and found out everything I could about him. It was then only then that I knew I could trust him with my life."

"How could a mere detective do that kid of a background check?"

"Believe it or not, I'm very good at what I do, before I came here my solve percentage was in the nineties as well and it was just a two man team."

'So how long before you have the same kind of trust for me?"

"I trust you Kate, I do, as does Gibbs. But sometimes your actions leave me with more questions than answers. As for when I don't know. Trust is earned and right now you're still earning it."

She turns and looks at Gibbs ."Gibbs?" She asks.

"He's right Kate. You're to trusting at times, you need to be a little more cynical."

She looks at her boss then at Tony, not understanding completely what they mean. She is good at what she does, she knows she is. She has taken the profiler course, she might not be as good as the agents as the BAU but then again who is? Those agents get into the unsubs minds. What she does is good enough for the NCIS team, basic behavior about how the criminal they are looking for. She does admit that sometimes she misses things, but not often.

"I need the ladies room." she says softly then leaves.

"Boss." Tony starts to say.

"How long have you known?"

"About Flanna? Or about the boat and how you get it out?"

Gibbs doesn't reply at all he just glares at Tony.

He looks at Gibbs his smile gone. Standing he goes to him and hands him a finished report. "I'm not sorry, she needed to hear it. One day her indecisiveness is going to get someone hurt or worse. I just hope that we aren't around to see it."

"I know Tony we'll work with her. She just needs time and good teachers."


	4. Weapons and a candle

Just a short one.

He went looking for him not long after everyone had left for the night. He knew that he was still in the building as his suit jacket was still hanging on the back of his desk chair.

It only took ten minutes to find him. He stood still and quietly watched as his SFA, methodically cleaned the back up weapons that the team used from time to time. On the large bench he saw Tony's own weapons stripped down waiting their turn to be cleaned as well.

"You do realize that the techs in here clean and maintain all of the weapons." He says breaking the silence.

"I do, but none of them do it to your specifications. I do it, so you don't growl."

Gibbs sits opposite from him grabbing the needed cleaning equipment from the open tray he starts to clean Tony's ankle weapon. A smaller weapon than his usual Sig, but still a good choice for a back up. "Is that a fact DiNozzo?"

Tony looks at his boss and says nothing about it. It is the ultimate trust that he is showing, by letting his boss clean his weapon. "Yeah."

"They don't get it clean enough."

"I know, but I do. Don't forget that barrel has a tiny burr in it."

"I've been cleaning weapons since you were in high school Tony, I know what I'm doing. Why don't you get this thing fixed anyway?"

"Not worth the hassle for one and any bullets that come out of that little shooter will be marked no way to it hide or confuse it with another gun barrel."

Gibbs silently agrees with him. He looks at Tony and takes a deep breath as he gathers his thoughts. Not one for talking, he is known as a man of few words.

"Tony about earlier, you said that you did a background check before you said yes to me."

"I did."

"How thorough was it?"

"I know where you went to High School. I know about your mom and about your dad's store."

"Do you know about?" Gibbs starts to say softly.

Tony stands with rifle and looks at Gibbs. "Some things a man should be able to keep to himself. Some things are no one else's business."

"Tony."

"I did light a candle for them when I found out, it just felt right some how." Tony tells him softly before he leaves to put he rifle back in the cage with the rest of the NCIS weapons.

Tony stays away long enough to give Gibbs a chance to regain his composure. "If you're done cleaning my weapons. Let's go eat I'm starved I feel like breakfast, steak, eggs and hotcakes. I'll even eat a bowl of fruit just to make Ducky happy."

"You're going to have to run an extra mile tomorrow if you eat that, you know." Gibbs tells him with a laugh.

"So, I'll pick you up at six and we can run together before we have be back here. That is after we go to your favorite place for breakfast, I swear that waitress saves the best coffee rolls for you."

Gibbs stands and hands both of the now cleaned weapons back to him. It is a small gesture but he knows that his secret is safe with Tony. He should have known that Tony would have found out, after all it was one of the reasons he hired him in the first place.


	5. Jared

_I don't know how I feel about this one, but here goes anyway._

Gibbs looked up when he heard Vance come into the bullpen. He was surprised to see the Director in the office on a Saturday. The man usually stayed home with his children unless there was something pressing.

"Have you see Jared?"

"No Leon I haven't." Gibbs says then stands. "I'll help you look. Have you tried the head?"

"Yes, on both floors."

"Maybe the gym. Some of the agents were going to play a pickup game, he might have gone to watch it."

"He would have left me a note taped to the office door. I told him to stay close and not to make a nuisance of himself."

"He is a good kid Leon. I'm sure he is fine. Does he have a cell, we can text him."

"No cell, not yet not until he gets into high school."

They search for fifteen minutes before they hear his voice coming from the break room. The two men were about to enter when Gibbs stops him. "Listen." Gibbs whispers.

"It's okay to cry you know." Tony tells him softly.

"Really?"

"Yes. My mother died when I was a lot younger than you, I was eight."

"Was she murdered too?" Jared asks then blows his nose.

"No, she was very ill."

"I miss her so much."

"I understand, I really do, so does your dad."

"But he."

"He never shows it?"

Yeah." Jared answers softly.

"Some men, not all mind you grieve in private. You lost your mom, he lost his other half. The part of him that kept the joy and happiness in his life. The part that reminded him why he has the job that he does and why continues to work so hard."

"Tomorrow is mother's day I want to go put flowers on her grave. I don't think he'll want to."

"You might be surprised I bet he already has the flowers on order, something that she loved. Maybe even a reservation to someplace special to eat. Something that you used to do as a family the four of you."

"We always had a picnic on Mother's day, it was fun. You know just talking and listening to them talk about what they did for their mothers and grandmothers."

"Sounds like a lot of fun."

"It was." Jared murmured. "Agent DiNozzo, will the pain ever go away?"

"I'll be honest with you Jared, It does fade so it is not so raw and painful. One day you'll smell something or hear a piece of music or even taste something that will remind you of her. And you'll smile because you'll remember all the happy times that you had with her. So yes I suppose it does go away."

"Do you still remember your mom, like that?"

"Yes I do, lilacs is what reminds me of her." Tony answers, then he continues. "Jared talk to your dad, he loves you and that's what dads are for, they support you, take care of you, listen to you and most importantly they are always there for you no questions asked."

Jared stands and tossed the orange peel in the trash. "Thanks for the orange. Last time I was here all the machines had was junk food."

"That would be Ducky, Dr. Mallard, talking to the vending machine company. Once Ducky starts to talk to you about eating good healthy food, it just easier to go with the flow, I like the apples best though. But you have to keep my secret Jared if Ducky knew that I actually listened to him, he would make me stop eating donuts and I love donuts. It must be the cop in me."

Hearing his Jared laughs for the first time, a happy joyful laugh. Vance can't help but smile as he enters the break room.

"Dad." Jared says.

"Director, your son looked hungry, I bought him a orange." Tony says talking over Jared.

"Thanks for feeding him, he has become a bottomless pit of sorts. He is always hungry."

"Dad." Jared groans slightly.

"No sweat Jared we all went through it. Boys eat a lot of food and when you play sports it's even worse."

"I play basketball. I want to go to camp this summer."

"DiNozzo take Jared out to his father's car I need to talk to shop for a couple of minutes."

"On it Boss. Come on Jared."

They wait until they hear the elevator door close before they talk. Gibbs puts some money in the machine and pulls out an apple. he looks a the fruit then hands it to Vance.

"I saw you flinch when DiNozzo said lilacs, why?" Vance asks.

"His mother committed suicide, she was an alcoholic. Tony found her hanging she had kicked over a large vase full of lilacs. The room reeked of them, every time Tony smells them he gets sick to his stomach."

"I didn't know, and his father? I know he is a. . ."

"He is a bastard Leon, he drove his wife to drink and finally to suicide, and he beat his son. Tony did it all on his own from the time he was twelve he only had himself to rely on. Think of it this way, The man is still protecting the child that never was allowed to be a child."

"What he did for Jared."

"Just tell him thank you."

"So tomorrow, are you both going to be sending flowers or are you going yourselves?"

"Tomorrow DiNozzo and I will be covering for those agents that have plans to spend the day with their mothers."

"I'll see you of Monday Gibbs." Vance replies knowing that there is nothing else to say.

"Don't forget to order those flowers Director, you can always call McGee if you are having trouble placing the order, this late."

"I'll keep that in mind." Vance tells him.

Catching a case on Monday morning kept the team busy until Wednesday late afternoon. Tony walks down the stairs then sits on the third from the bottom. He watches Gibbs sand for a few minutes. "So how much trouble am I in with the Director?"

"None. You helped his son."

He looks over and sees Tony exhale slowly. "You knew we were listening, didn't you?"

"Not at first. As for helping Jared it wasn't a big deal."

"If you say so."

Tony stands then turns to leave. "I talked to the landscaping crew at the Navy yard, an order came down to remove all lilac bushes from the new landscaping design to replace them with rhododendron. Tell him thanks will you?"

"I can do that for you Tony."

He gets half way up the stairs before Gibbs call him. "DiNozzo, did you eat yet?"


	6. Kayla

_One for Jared it's only fair that there is one for Kayla. For the sake of this fic-let she is fifteen_

"Kayla, answer the door please. Let agent DiNozzo in." Vance calls out to her.

Her response is a huff, in a very angry teenager way.

"Ah the lovely Miss Vance, how are you today Kayla?" Tony asks as he takes off his sunglasses.

"Just peachy." She answers her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Okay, what's wrong? My friend Kayla is not a grumpy person?"

"My father won't let me go to the dance, he says he can't take the time off. Tony I'm a big girl I can take care of myself. I think I should be able to go unguarded." She gripes to him.

He smiles and nods his head and before she can blink an eye he has grabbed her, one arm around her waist and the other around her mouth. He doesn't hold her too tight just enough to put the fear of G-d into her. He talks in a normal voice as he leans into her ear making sure she can feel his hot breath on her skin.

"So you think you can take care of yourself, do you? " He lets her go and takes a step back from her.

"That's not fair!" she shouts.

"Actually, it is fair, and I'm a friend or at least I hope I'm your friend. Sit down I'm going to talk and you're going to listen."

He waits until she is seated I on the couch looking up at him giving him a death glare.

"You know before I was an agent I was a beat cop, then a detective. I had more cases than I want to remember of girls your age who thought they could 'take of them self'. Having to tell a parent that their child is missing, or worse, they're dead is not something you ever want to experience. Trust me on this one."

"Who is going to take me? It's just a school dance!"

"You're a target because of your dad; he is the Director of a federal agency. Some nut job will think that if they can grab you they might be able to force to him meet their demands."

"I never thought about it that way, but I still don't like it. I really wanted to go to the dance." she says pouting.

"What's his name?" Tony asks knowing that the look on her face has to do with more than just a dance.

When she lowers her head he can't help but smile. "Marcus, he is really nice."

"I'm sure he is, the school you go to is private and a lot of bigwigs' kids go there too. Right? I imagine there will be lots of security?"

"Some, not a lot."

"Uh ah, when is this dance?"

"Two weeks." She answers as she pouts.

"Okay here's the best I can do for you. And this is all cognizant on you clearing it with your dad. This coming Saturday and Sunday you come down to the NCIS gym and I'll teach you basic self-defense. Enough so that you can get away if you have too. Ziva would just teach you to kill, and right now I need you to be able to strike then run." She smiles liking what she is hearing. "You are going to learn a set of rules, in fact you're going to memorize a set a rules"

"What rules?" She challenges.

"Rule one you never leave the dance. Even to go to the head without telling me. That includes the hallway, the patio, nowhere."

"Telling you?" she asks all confused.

"Yup, you can call me your friendly bodyguard for the night." He gives her a hard look and continues. "Rule two when you get a drink it never leaves your hand until your finished drinking it. If you put it down and turn away even for a second, you're to not pick it up and drink it."

"That it?" she asks as she folds her hands across her chest.

"Yes failure to follow these rules will result immediate action on my part."

"What are you going to do drag me from the dance?" She asks defiantly.

"No. I'll just toss you over my shoulder fireman style and then bring you back home."

"You wouldn't, my friends... I'd be so embarrassed!"

"Hey, Kayla I don't give rat's ass about your friends, I care about you and your brother. Your dad has lost enough in his life, he is not about to lose his daughter while on my watch. The least I can do is to keep you safe at a dance."

"You're going to board standing there watching a bunch of teenagers dance." She informs him

"More than likely, but I'll be able to meet and greet other guards and security from different agencies. Catch up on the scuttlebutt and goings on. Think of it as good Intel gathering."

"So what do you get out of it? I mean you're giving up a night to guard me."

"Nothing really, I do this for you and your dad, you can go and he doesn't have to worry, and the next day you help me wash and vacuum my car. Talk to your dad Kayla, oh and one more thing I thing, I'm going to teach you how to be more aware of your surrounds as well. It's a good skill to have, isn't that right Director?" Tony asks watching Vance come out of the hallway.

Kayla turns and looks at her father surprised that he was able to come into the room without her knowing.

"Agent DiNozzo you'll need a tux for the dance."

"Yes sir."

"And you." He says as he looks at his daughter, her smile reminds him so much of his late wife. "You will do everything that Agent DiNozzo tells you."

"Yes Daddy, Thank you!" she says then throws herself into his arms.

Tony chuckles and turns away, wanting to give Vance and his daughter some privacy.


	7. Closing ranks

For, Victoriantealady because she fed my muse.

The two men look down from the large balcony as they observe the agents from the various agencies. A frown appears on director Vance's face when he sees DiNozzo laughing and carrying on like he had not a care in the world.

It was a high security meeting with the directors from the alphabets as well as their counterparts from Canada and Great Britain. It was Gibbs that suggested DiNozzo go, as well as McGee and Balboa.

Tom Morrow, the deputy of homeland security noticed the frown, and the loud sigh that Vance made when they saw Tony interacting with some of the other agents.

"Tell me Leon, are you still buying into the DiNozzo frat boy act?"

Leon turns and glares at Tom. "He is just like Gibbs, yes they get results but, they don't move forward, stuck in some time warp."

"Don't let him fool you Leon; more people have bought into his idiot mask, that are paying the price in prison. The man knows what he is doing, I would love to pinch him away from you. I've offered him his own team and raise. He says his happy where he is. I think you should know something about your famous frat boy. He did you a favor and it cost him all of his markers almost twenty years of favors that were owed him."

Intrigued Leon shifts his position and gives his full attention to Tom. "It was right after Jackie was killed." Tom doesn't waste any platitudes, men like Vance don't want them nor do they need them.

"What did he do?" Leon asks his full of barely contained anger.

"He let it be known in the press corps circles that if they didn't leave you and your children alone while you were grieving. He would make sure that not one police station or agency would be forthcoming with any information, at all. Up to and including parking tickets and protective custody numbers for being drunk and disorderly."

"He doesn't have that kind of pull." Vance scoffs.

"Tell me just how many articles did you read about your wife? Eli David yes, he was Mossad, but Jackie?"

"After the initial report two more then nothing about her, I was surprised there wasn't more."

"He called in all of his markers with his brothers in blue. No one talked to any reporter for a week, no one except for the BAU teams, he told me that was for Agent Todd."

"Why would he go to all of the trouble? I don't understand." Leon says softly.

"Do you know his mother is dead? She died when he was eight, according to the M.E. report it was ruled a suicide." Tom tells him letting the insinuation linger in the air.

"What do you mean ruled a suicide?"

"He comes from money, and families with that kind of money, they let the money talk for them. Or so I've been able to ascertain. The press hounded the family for weeks Tony was just a kid at the time, his father did nothing to protect him. He was free of his wife and he had more money to play with, surely you know that the man is a conman. He will steal you blind if you give him half a chance. He is always on the look out for his next big score."

"Why does DiNozzo work if he doesn't need the money?"

"Tony's mother left him small trust fund, not enough to live on. And if his father knew about it he would hound Tony until he got every last penny from it."

"He told you?"

"Full disclosure, the very first day he got hired, even before FLETCE."

"Why would he do that?"

"He learned from an early age that money talks and he didn't want to be accused of anything."

Vance looks at DiNozzo again, as if seeing him for the first time. Smiling and joking with the men, and flirting shamelessly with the women. Everyone knew he was a flirt, but no one took it seriously. Vance didn't know what he did to earn such sacrifice from an Agent, but silently swore to himself, and Jackie, that he wouldn't doubt the man again.


	8. Vance asks why

_Sorry so long for this one I've been ill with the plague. Well in this case stomach bug and a chest cold. Having COPD and a chest cold is so much fun let me tell you. This chapter is the last of this arc. _

He stepped out into late afternoon sun he didn't even have to wait for his car to be called for it pulled up just as his foot stepped off of the last step. He watches DiNozzo step up to him then follow him to the car. When they get to the car his driver is standing by the door ready to open it for him.

"Adam go with agents McGee and Balboa, I need to discuss a few things with agent DiNozzo."

"Yes sir." Is the only reply the driver can give. He knows not to argue when the director as a certain tone of voice.

Vance opens the door and slips into the front seat without giving Tony a second glance. Knowing what is expected of him Tony signals to McGee and Balboa to follow with the other car.

He slips on his glasses once he is behind the wheel. "Director?"

"The office."

"Yes sir."

They had driven for less than ten minutes before Vance broke the silence. "Why?" He asks.

"I didn't understand Director Vance."

" Tom Morrow and I had informative conversation. Why did you do it, talk to the press?"

"Ah I see Deputy Director Morrow has new Intel. I wonder who squealed."

"Agent DiNozzo I find that term offensive, don't you?"

"No I don't in all honesty. I was a cop for six years, I've earned the right to say it."

Vance can't argue with him on that score he had earned that right.

"I didn't do it for you Director Vance if that's what you're wondering. You are a big boy you can take all that the press toss at you. In fact it's part of your job, but your kids, they didn't sign up for it not one little bit."

"He told me about your mother, about the M.E. ruling." Vance tells him.

Tony chuckles a sad sort of chuckle. "I swear that man has more friends than the peanut man at the circus." He lets out a long sigh. "It was never proven otherwise at least not by the powers that be at the time. There was just a lot and I mean a lot of talk, gossip filled the papers and news reports along with pictures of a man standing next to a small boy with tears running down his cheeks. What the papers didn't report or show was that after the man and child, were no longer within camera range the child was backhanded then sent to their room for being a disgrace. The funny part was the man would make sure to pinch the boy hard really hard just before the reporters came running to get the needed pictures and interviews. There were always cameras in the face of the child the reports tried to get information all the time. The child was an innocent bystander and should have never been put anywhere near the press at all. And before you ask, I never did investigate or look at the M.E. or police reports. It wouldn't change anything my mother would still be dead, besides almost all of the people involved are either retired or will be retired soon. Your children are innocent they have the misfortune of having a father who is the Director of a Federal agency. So I made a few calls, no one bothered the kids and that's what mattered and still matters."

After hearing Tony give his reasons why, Vance looks at his agent. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Surprisingly is the simply reply that he gets in return.

"Just one question? Does Gibbs know? I mean he knows you found her and about your reaction to lilacs, but does he know about the M.E. report?"

"What if I told you I made a phone call to an old friend? Someone who could make that report get permanently lost, after Gibbs found out why I hated lilacs so much."

"That would explain why he is a free man and why your father is still breathing."

"That and the paperwork would be never ending." Tony says trying to bring some levity into the conversation.

A/N: I'm so sorry that I didn't respond to everyone who reviewed. But thank you all very much. And thank you to all the lovely people that added me to their alerts and favorites.


	9. Turn around is fair play

_The muse paid a visit.  
_

Gibbs rubs his knee and glares at McGee and the TAD agent that was hoisted on him to fill in the gap as DiNozzo was in court.

He absolutely hated being out in the field without DiNozzo the man had a way of knowing what he was thinking and where he was going to go even before he know himself. He had to admit it was creepy at times but he liked having some one that always had his six. It didn't mean that McGee and the fill in agent weren't good, because they were, they just weren't his partner.

"Boss do you want me to go get Ducky?" McGee asks with fear seeping through his words.

Gibbs glares at him so intensely that McGee goes back to his desk and starts to write up his report as to what happened out in the field. Tony was going to kill him is the only thing that keep going through his mind as he is typing.

Just after one in the afternoon Tony comes walking into the bullpen with what could only be described a joyful mood. He stops right in front of Gibbs desk and hands him two large cups of coffee. Then he opens the paper bag that he is holding and pulls out a bottle of over the counter pain reliever. He places it on the desk without a word, he then digs in the bag and pulls out a some sort of bundle of Velcro and with a blue rectangular thing in the middle.

"I jerry-rigged the ice pack with Velcro put it on, open the desk drawer and elevate your leg. Take pain the medicine, and drink your coffee when you need the head ask Tim or me to help you keep weight off your knee. Or else."

Gibbs picks up his coffee and take a long drink. "Or else what DiNozzo?" He asks with a glare.

"I tell Ducky, then I'll help our dear medical examiner drug you with the good stuff, bring you home and once you are settled in your bed, not on your couch mind you. I'll ask Ducky to tell me the story of how he saved your butt with a boat and pushing some one in the water. All the while I'll be sitting right there watching making sure you follow his orders. After all he is our doctor, isn't he?"

"You wouldn't."

"Try me. YOU don't chase after suspects that's what the TAD is for that's what McGee is for, you lead we follow, you give orders, we obey. For the most part that is."

Gibbs takes another drink of his coffee then puts the cup down. "Get to work DiNozzo."

"Yes Boss." Tony replies then goes to his desk.

"Tony." McGee says softly.

"You know better McGee, when I'm not here it's your job to have his six. Don't work harder Tim, work smarter. Anticipate and be ready to act quickly Tim."

"I'll do better."

"Good, now lets figure out where this scumbag is so we can go get him."

"How did you know?" McGee asks.

"I read the file while I was in court this morning Tim, he was a track star all state in college."

"That wasn't in the file. I would have remembered if it was."

"No it wasn't, all the file said was that he had an athletic scholarship for college. I checked the college records when the Judge let me go. And Gibbs being Gibbs with you and a TAD there was only one outcome."

"I feel like an idiot." Tim murmurs.

"Work smarter, not harder." Tony says then reaches for his desk phone.


	10. Orange juice

He watched his friend stumble for the second time before he moved toward him. Mumbling something to Gibbs he walked quickly away making sure he grabbed his backpack as he went.

He caught up to Jimmy and grabbed hold on his elbow then led his friend to the back of the M.E.'s van. Tony opened the door then sat Jimmy down gently.

He looks into his friends eyes and sees a glassy eyed vacant look, looking back at him.

"Damn Palmer we talked about this." Tony reaches into his backpack and pulls out a can of orange juice. After opening the can he hold it up to Jimmy's mouth and helps him take small sips until his friend can hold the can for himself.

"Slowly Palmer." Tony tells him as he reaches into his bag for a blood sugar monitor and sits it down next to Jimmy. "Finish the juice. I'll send Ducky up to you."

Tony leaves his backpack in the van with Jimmy then gets the body bag and the gurney.

Gibbs looks up from the body in time to see Tony pushing the gurney toward them, "DiNozzo. Why are you doing Palmer's work?"

Tony just smiles then opens the body bag. "Ducky, Jimmy could use your help, he's a little under the weather. I can put the victim in the bag, I'll be careful."

Ducky wastes no time in getting to his protégé, wondering what in heaven's name could be wrong.

Gibbs watches as Tony puts on fresh gloves then as looks through the M.E.'s kit pulling out paper bags and a roll of tape. Tony covers the hands of the deceased, tapes the bags securely then writes his name so that it covers both the tape and the bag. He then lays down a tarp to transfer the body on trying not to disturb any evidence that might still be on the body.

Gibbs slips on a pair of fresh gloves and helps Tony move the body to the tarp then to the body bag. Once the body has been strapped onto the gurney Gibbs grabs the M.E. 's kit while Tony pushes the Gurney back to the M.E.'s van.

"Is he alright Duck?"

"He will be Jethro, luckily Anthony caught it in time. The orange juice he gave him did the trick."

" Boss if you're ready to go McGee and Bishop took the van back."

Gibbs peals out before Ducky is even behind the wheel of his van.

"Well?" Gibbs says as he watches Tony look out of the window holding on for dear life on the oh crap handle.

"I have this friend we went to Ohio State together, he has diabetes and sometimes when the workload got overwhelming he would forget to eat the right things and take his insulin. I was his roommate it was easy to learn what to look out for, to do what had to be done."

"And Palmer?"

"The Autopsy Gremlin is having finals and his beautiful wife has a baby-making mindset. He is doing double duty."

"Duck said you gave him orange juice."

"I like to drink orange juice, I always have a can in my bag." Tony responds with a brilliant smile.

"Right, make sure that McGee and Bishop each carry a can of it too. I'm sure they like to drink it."


	11. Ellie

He follows her back in to the bullpen as she walks slowly. He knew that she was stunned maybe even in shock. With Gibbs in a meeting with Fornell he wasn't going to take any chances with her well being.

"Bishop sit, just sit. I'll be right back."

He takes the stairs two at a time and goes directly to Deloris in HR.

Knocking once he opens the steps in and not bothering to even smile he gets right to the point. Talking to Deloris and the woman next to her.

"I need your help. More specifically Bishop needs your help."

"What do you need agent DiNozzo." Deloris asks thinking that this is a joke of some kind.

"We just got back it was a very bloody crime scene the female victim was horribly beaten. She died at the scene in fact she died while Bishop was talking to her, holding her hand in fact. Ellie I believe is in shock. Talk her to the ladies, I don't know loosen her bra, change her shirt the one that she is wearing has blood on it, we'll need it for evidence. Help her wash her face and hands. Please ladies, Ziva was Mossad tough as nails, but Ellie not yet she is still learning."

"I have some body spray. Would that help?" one of the office workers says holding up a bottle.

"As long as it's not a food smell. Ellie makes memories associations with food it's how her brain works."

"It's lavender."

"Perfect thank you."

"What about clothes does she have any?" Deloris asks as she starts to stand.

"I don't know, I have a tee shirt in my filing cabinet, you can use." Seeing the look on the faces of Deloris and her friends. "Well it's clean, soft, dry, and warm."

He feels like the Pied Piper as he walks back into the bullpen leading four women into the bullpen.

He goes straight to his filing cabinet and gets the tee shirt after handing it to Deloris. He steps in front of Bishop and gets her attention

"Bishop, look at me." he waits for her to move her head slightly. "Go with Deloris and her cohorts. They are going to help you get cleaned up and then if you want go have a cup of tea."

She just nods her head and follows Deloris. McGee reaches into his backpack and hands the last lady an evidence bag so she can put the bloody shirt in.

"Seal and sign it. Bring it to me right after so I can sign it and log it into evidence. Please." McGee tells the lady.

"Do I need gloves?" she asks nervously.

Tony smiles softly at the older woman. 'No. You hold the bag open and tell Ellie to put the shirt in. All you have to do is seal the bag and sign it. But bring it right back out to us in fact Tim and I will be waiting right outside of the ladies room door.

Twenty minutes later Gibbs comes into the bullpen scowling and holding two cup of extra large coffee.

"I take it the meeting with Fornell didn't go well." Tony asks.

Gibbs glares instead of answering. "Where's Bishop and give me a sitrep on the case."

"She is with Deloris and the ladies from HR, they went for tea break. They should be back soon."

"Abby has all of the evidence and we have a BOLO out for the boyfriend. Petty officer told us he was the one who beat her before she died." Tim reports.

"I'm going to check with Abby. Starts your reports." He growls before leaving.

Tim waits until he is sure Gibbs is out of hearing range before he says anything. "Why didn't you tell him the rest?"

"I'll tell him later, right now. Protecting Bishop and helping her is more important. She'll learn and in time she'll get better. In the mean time I'll take the heat and I'll run interference like I did for you when you first started. Remember Probie?" Tony asks with a smile.

"I remember." Tim answers him softly.


	12. The Dance

A/N: For queenbee1711 thank you for the idea. I hope you like it.

Tony really didn't mind guarding Kayla, he wouldn't have volunteered if he did. She was a young woman still learning and still growing. Without a mother to teach her it was going to be harder. Giving up a night wasn't a big price to pay to see her smile.

She came to the gym and he taught her basic self defense. Enough to strike and run, for now it was enough.

He stood on the sidelines and watched her as danced and mingle with her friends. When she moved he moved always keeping her with in his sight. He stopped to talk with some of the other agents that were there, some of the security was hired by the school, others were hired by the parents of the children.

Tony smiled as he talked to some of the private security that were hired by the parents. He made sure his playboy frat boy mask was firmly in place. He did what he always did he took things in dismissed the irrelevant , but kept the important. He did it without thinking.

The smile that was gracing his face never left but it also never reached his eyes as he watched Kayla move her date's hands once again from roaming, back to her waist.

When the couple split up Kayla went to talk to her girlfriends sipping her fresh drink. Tony nodded his head just once noticing the way she was holding the plastic cup. It was not going to leave her hand. She remembered, he was glad about that.

He strolled up to the boys not far away from where the girls were talking. He pulled her date to one side still keeping Kayla within his sight.

" Keep smiling kid we have an audience. Hey Marcus, you let your hands roam on her body and touch her ass again, I'll break your hands, understand? Her dad can't touch you but I can, get it?"

"Yes sir."

"Good remember that. I have no problem carrying out my threat, you can consider it a promise." Tony wrapped his arm around Marcus shoulder and gave it a squeeze, a nice tight one as they walked back to the group of boys.

He went to Kayla and whispered in her ear. "Do you need the ladies, little lady?"

When she shook her head no, Tony went back to the side and kept watch.

An hour or so later he started to get a funny feeling. He scanned the room looking for anything different. It was then he noticed three new security guards, but they looked different. Tuxes were not the best, clean but ill fitting, their hair and nails looked unclean, too. They were armed you could see the outline of the weapons if you knew what to look for. It was the shoes that gave it all away, they were old and they were dirty. No private security company worth their reputation would let any employee leave looking that way.

He was with a group of agents they knew each other by name and by reputation. Tony laughed at something that was said. Keeping his smile firmly in place he told them what he saw. The men and women were experienced enough to trust his judgment, Tony had a reputation around the agencies as a good agent and someone you could always count on.

It didn't take long to formulate a plan little by little the group broke away and continued on their rounds keeping watch on the students. While they were talking it was decided that only the agents would take part in surrounding the three newcomers then pulling them away from the students. One of the agents went out to call for back up, lots of back up with all of the students having parents that were important in the politics and goings on in Washington. They were going to need it, just in case.

In a blink of an eye the three men were hustled out of the dance and brought into a side room. Cuffed and patted down the weapons were removed as well as the list of the students and their parents. Cell phones and a two small cubes of c-4 and wire. Soon the FBI had everything under control, as far as Tony was concerned his job was done.

Tony walked a very angry Kayla to her door. She hadn't said a word to him since they dropped off Marcus. He stood by her side as her father opened the door to let her into the house.

"Kayla aren't you going to thank Agent DiNozzo?" Vance asks.

"Because of him I'll never get a date with Marcus again. I hate him."

"You had better come in DiNozzo and explain." Vance orders.

Once in the house Tony watched as Kayla flops herself on the couch. "I'm not sorry Kayla I did it for you."

"What did you do?" Vance asks anger seeping though his voice.

"Her date had wandering hands, I watched her move his hands away from her bottom more than once. I told him that if he did it again, I'd break them. That you couldn't but I would have no problem doing it."

"See. He admits it. Marcus hates me now."

Vance sigh in relief, in fact he is rather pleased with Tony. He watches as Tony kneels in front of his daughter and take her hand in his.

"Kayla look at me, please. You're too good for him. A real man, or in his case young man would have listened and paid attention when you moved his hands the first time. He as no respect for you at all, no respect for himself either. One day you'll thank me. But right now hate me all you want, I still like you."

He stands and tips his head. "Good night Director Vance."

"Good night Agent DiNozzo and thank you, thank you for everything." Vance says then watches as Tony closes the door behind him.

Vance came into the bullpen Monday morning carrying a file in his hand. He stops at the threshold and slaps his thigh with the folder.

"DiNozzo." Vance says

"Sir?" Tony responds then stands.

"You left out a thing or two about the dance."

"Nothing for you to worry about sir, It was all taken care of."

"What did you do now, Tony?" Ziva asks with a smirk.

"He stopped a attempted hostage situation."

"How?" Gibbs asks

Vance read the highlight off of the report that he received not more than an hour ago. Then he handed the file to Gibbs.

"Some of the parents want to meet you."

"Can you tell them no thank you, Director. I still do some undercover work. I'd like to keep it that way."

"I'll take care of it."

"Thank you sir."

"Good job Tony." Gibbs says after Vance left.

"Thanks boss."

"Tony. How did you know?" McGee asks.

"Never underestimate the power of good grooming and a spit shine on your shoes, McGee." Tony answers with a million watt smile.

A/N: eh not sure if I like it. My muse has taken a vacation I'm struggling to find the right words... Until next time.


	13. Demons and darkess

_First of all I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I could write this little one that came to me, or I write thanks one at a time. I think this is a better use of my time. I don't want to scare my muse away, she is back in full force, you all fed her so much. Thank you!  
_

_Not so much Tony alone this time knowing all. Gibbs will also play a major part. _

He talks softly into the mic he read the off the house number then added the street name. Then he straightened his tie just before he knocked on the front door. He smiled the one he uses for dealing with people he has no intention of ever seeing again. Undercover work can at times be tedious and boring this is one of them. Going from door to door getting voice prints.

When the door opened he went into his spiel. The woman answered his questions and flirted with him after she looked at his left hand noticing that he was not wearing a wedding band. He thanked her and left with her name and number on a little piece of paper she gave him.

He turned and waved to her as he continued to walk to the next house. He pretended to cough so he could talk to his team mates that were in the car recording his conversations.

He made a small joke but when he didn't get a response from either McGee or David, he assumed they didn't think it was funny. He continued going from house to house, he was getting tired and his throat was getting sore and scratchy.

He the could see the car through the trees, both Ziva and McGee laughing and shaking their heads. As no one was near by he asked what was so funny. When neither of them replied he tried again. He had at least fifteen more houses to go before he could call it a day.

He could still see the car and his teammates, from time to time he would say something. He even went as far as to goad Ziva by telling an off color joke. It was then he knew that something was wrong.

When he finished the last house. He called Gibbs.

"Gibbs."

"Do you trust me."

"With my life you know that Tony." Gibbs replies after noticing something in his voice.

"I need you to come here, but don't call McGee or Ziva. And can you come the long way stay away from Maple street I'll meet you at the corner of Elm and Spruce.

Fifteen minutes later Gibbs pulled up and Tony got in even before Gibbs came to a complete stop.

"What's wrong?"

"Watch." Tony replies.

Tony softly calls for McGee and Ziva " Help me, I need help."

Gibbs waits for five minutes when nothing happens he growls. "What the Hell?"

"They haven't responded for the past hour. I don't know if there is a malfunction or not. But I have this hinky feeling. Can we go back to the office and have Abby run a check?"

"Good idea, we can send out for food. If there is nothing wrong. I'll."

Tony interrupts Gibbs. " Boss, let's see what Abby says first."

"Abby" Gibbs says loudly as he enters the lab. "Can you check to see if there is anything wrong with the equipment in the car with Ziva and McGee, from here. Without them knowing?"

"Gibbs what's going on? Is someone hurt?"

"Abby can you do it or not? Or do I have to go to the cyber crime and have those geeks do it for me."

"Yes I can do it. I even have a recording here of what was being recorded by everyone."

"Do it." Gibbs orders.

Ziva and McGee walked into the bullpen three hours later. Seeing Tony sitting there eating from a carton of Chinese food with Gibbs and Abby nearby.

"So you left us out there all thins time? Did you think it was funny to have us waste our time while you are eating and relaxing Tony?" Ziva shouts as she tosses her bag behind her desk.

Tony stands and tosses the container in the trash. "You know when I was in Philly my partner kept things bottled up he couldn't let go of things, try as I might I told him jokes, whoopee cushions on his chair, anything to make the man laugh and lighten up. Nothing worked the darkness wouldn't leave it just got worse, he ate a bullet after eight months. I decide then that I would make where I worked not so dreary and dark. It eats at you. I saw it in your eyes McGee the after the first case you worked with us. After that cop died the look in your eyes got worse. So I upped the anti, super glue, barking dogs, anything to keep the darkness out of your head. The one thing I would never do is play a prank out in the field. Our lives is something I would never play around with or joke with, I called out to you and tried to talk to you over a dozen times."

Tony picks up his backpack and shakes his head. "I hope it was worth the laugh you both were having, while I was out canvassing. Just one question while you two were having a laugh and enjoying the quiet by not listening to my voice who was watching my six?"

He walks out leaving them stunned and speechless. Gibbs clears his throat. "Write your reports and go home." He orders then he looks at Abby. "Go home Abby see you tomorrow." Abby says nothing she just gets up and leaves taking her bag with her.

Gibbs holsters his weapon and puts his badge in his pocket. "Just so you know Abby had fix it so that it was recording everything that was said by Tony and by you two in the car. Just in case there was a malfunction. Back up is always a good thing to have. Don't you agree?"

"Gibbs. You don't understand, it was only " Ziva starts to say.

"I don't want to understand David, finish your report and go home. _Your home_. You too McGee." Gibbs leaves without waiting for a reply.

He opens his cell once he is in the elevator and hits speed dial. When his call is answered his reply is simple. "Get some of those blueberry muffins with the coffee, I'm still hungry."

"Already ordered boss, plus orange nut ones for breakfast."

He can almost feel Tony's demons the over the cell. Now he just has to help Tony deal with his own darkness as they sand the boat and let go of the day.


	14. Demons and darkness II

_Thank you so very much for all of the reviews and for the alerts and favorites. This should finish this arc._

He could hear Ziva's angry shouts coming from the bullpen, he stepped out of the outer office and onto the mezzanine being careful not to be seen. After Ziva was finished with her tirade he was surprised to hear DiNozzo's voice and not Gibbs'.

It was the tone of DiNozzo's voice that made him pay closer attention it was calm, but it was also full of anger, disappointment, with a touch of disgust.

He slipped back into his own office and locked the door, not long after Abby and Gibbs left. One of the advantages of being the director was he had access to every piece of information that came through every NCIS office no matter when it was.

If Miss Scuito was involved then he would start there with her and the computers in her lab. But first he called down to the main gate. He told them not to let Scuito go to tell her that he wanted to see her immediately.

Tony toed off his shoes when he entered Gibbs' house. He was balancing coffee, a box of muffins and his go-bag. He didn't call out to Gibbs he just made his way to the kitchen.

They both liked their muffins warm with a little bit of butter on them. Tony dug out the small pan for the toaster oven then set about toasting them. He knew Gibbs was already in the cellar sanding. He could smell the fresh sawdust in the air.

By the time the muffins were finished toasting he had changed out of his suit and into the sweats the he had in his go-bag. He wasn't worried about work clothes. He had emergency clothes at work, it would be a jeans and simple shirt day. To be honest he didn't feel like wearing one of his suits. His armor, he knew what they were he hid behind them it was all part of the package. A carefully constructed package that had taken him years to perfect.

He called down to Gibbs that the muffins and coffee were ready. Gibbs was up the stairs before Tony had finished putting the muffins and coffee on the table.

His boss carrying a bottle of bourbon sat in one of that chairs. Lifting the bottle to offer Tony.

"Not tonight boss, not tonight. There would have been a time when I would have joined you in finishing that Bourbon and put a good size dent in the spare in the cupboard."

Gibbs tilts his head understanding completely.

"You know I never thought that they would not have my six, I guess I was wrong. I mean after all I'm just a cop with a Phys. Ed degree."

"You're more than that Tony and you know it."

"Come on Jethro. You know as well as I do that I was given a free pass, The SecNav waved the requirement for a master's degree for me. That is after he read the sealed FBI file."

"That was damn good work Tony and you've earned your spot on my team don't you dare think otherwise." Gibbs informs him.

"Tony about your old partner?"

"I wasn't he one who found him if that's what your worried about. He lived alone his wife left him a few years before they never had any kids. That is a blessing in its self. When a parent commits suicide it does a number the kid."

Tony tosses his napkin on the table and exhales sharply. "You ever have a partner kill himself?"

" A partner no, two Marine buddies while on active duty and three more after they left the Corp."

Tony raised his cup and nodded his head no words were needed. "You know Tim was so green when he first came to us, like a scared little rabbit. Ziva, was different she was hard, desensitized from everything that she had seen and done."

Gibbs says nothing just watches Tony gather his thoughts. "I thought that by bringing some jokes and banter into the bullpen would lesson the horror for Tim. You have to admit some of the things that we see are worse than anything Hollywood could ever come up with. Maybe I went to far? I don't know I just couldn't see anymore of the people I care about or work with kill themselves. A little part of you dies with them every single time."

"Playing jokes on Ziva just has the opposite affect. She just gets angry and strikes back, violence begets violence. It's the way she was raised so it's understandable."

"But you do it anyway." Gibbs points out.

"I do. It lessons the stress in the bullpen for all of the teams and besides McGee laughs and you smile. So it's worth it, what's she going to do to me? Shoot me? I've been shot before."

"Too many times."

A ghost of a smile passes Tony's face as he sips his tea.

"Have you thought about what you're going to do?" Gibbs asks him.

"Nothing. What can I do? McGee and Ziva are both valuable to the team and the agency. Tim because of his computer skills an Ziva well she is Mossad, all those contacts come in handy. It's best to let sleeping dogs lie. Don't you think?"

"Go to bed Tony." Gibbs orders. As he watches Tony go up to the guest room he can't help but feel that Tony is dealing with more than his fair share of demons and darkness. The kind that plague all of them from time to time. He just can't help but wonder just how many people close to him have died that way, and how many he had witnessed.

They get to the office early since he is already in his sweats Tony takes advantage of it by hitting the treadmill for a quick three mile run. After a shower he changes into jeans and a light green shirt. A quick stop at the cafeteria he enters the bullpen ten minutes late carrying coffee for Gibbs and tea for himself.

"Sorry I'm late boss there was a line." Gibbs knows he's lying, he takes the coffee with a curt thanks.

"So what childish pranks do you have in store for us today Tony? Maybe super glue on Tim's keyboard that seems to be a favorite of yours. Or breaking all of my pencils? You haven't done that one yet." Ziva asks with a snarl on her face as she stands and starts to walk over to Tony's desk.

"Sit down Officer David." Vance says as he walks into the bullpen.

"DiNozzo good work yesterday. As for McGee and David you're suspended for two weeks no pay."

"What? Why should we be suspended he is the one that left us sitting there for hours without telling us he left." Ziva argues as she jumps to her feet.

Vance looks at her sharply so sharply that she sits down. "Yesterday I heard you yelling at Agent DiNozzo I stepped out of the outer office and onto the mezzanine. I heard what you said, I also heard his reply. I had Miss Scuito stopped and the gate and ordered back to talk to me. She was given a choice show me all of the evidence about the case especially about what happened to make you angry, or I would suspend her. He wasn't in the wrong, you were, you and Agent McGee."

"Director Vance." Tony says softly.

"Sit down Agent DiNozzo." Vance orders firmly but without a bite in his tone.

"You will hand your weapons to agent Gibbs, when you come back you both will be spending time learning about his agency from the ground up two weeks in every department as Probies. Your paths will not cross while you are learning about responsibility and working as a team. Especially covering each other six's. You will not be needing your weapons for some time. I will give you the a choice, take the punishment or you're fired."

Leaving them to stew Vance turns to Gibbs. I have some new agents that need some fine tuning, Smart people, former Mp's and cops. A few with no real field experience at all. Green as green can be. You and DiNozzo can start them on the right path. Two of them are going to Florida and two are going to Rhode Island."

"Yes Director." Gibbs replies.

Vance looks at Ziva and Tim as they each place their weapons on Gibbs' desk and leave without saying anything.

Gibbs and Tony say nothing as Vance leaves them, they just grab the closest cold case and get to work.


	15. Demons and darkness III

_Because magicmistress1970 asked me to do a little something with Ziva's dad and Dead Air to finish my arc._

He watched from inside the kitchen's swinging door. It was easy if you looked the part you can pretty much blend into any surroundings. So he played the part of an sommelier he had notes from the real sommelier to help him, he also drew from his own experience from his favorite Italian wines.

He made sure that he kept Director David's bodyguards in his sights as he made his way to the table that requested his assistance in picking a wine for their meal. After helping them he helped two more tables before he handed everything back to the real expert.

He needed to get a lay of the land so to speak, he also needed to see exactly where Ziva was as she dined and talked to her father.

It wasn't hard to figure out that Eli David was coming to the States the chatter was out there you just had to know where to look for it. It helped that he had friends in the different agencies, one or two in Mossad as well.

Tony knew that some people thought that he was a fool, but the people that counted knew better. He was well liked and trusted by many and that was all that mattered as far as he was concerned.

Twenty minutes into their meal Tony looked as he heard Ziva's voice she stood and spoke to her father. She dropped her napkin on the table and stormed out of the restaurant in not a very ladylike way if he had to describe it she looked like a toddler having a temper tantrum.

Tony had to smile as Eli continued to eat his food with calmness. It was just a façade having to deal with various government people throughout his working life Eli had become an excellent poker player.

Tony picked up his bottle of wine a good full bodied earthy vintage, not too sweet or too harsh. Carrying two crystal glasses he made his way to his table. "I have a good vintage here I thought you might like to sample with me, Director David."

Eli looked up and smiled after seeing who is talking to him. "Agent DiNozzo. Please have a seat." he says waving his had to the seat Ziva had just left.

"You were watching me?"

"Not so much you Director, mostly Ziva."

"Ah yes, I see."

"Actually I wanted to see if she had the gall to play the daddy card with you."

Hearing this Eli laughed, then he looked around the room for his bodyguards.

" Officers Malachi, and Liat are enjoying their meal and Hadar is in the kitchen with Signora Carlotta, she is teaching him how to make pasta from scratch."

Eli smiles but says nothing, Tony pours the wine then continue. "Your men at the bar are being served water with lemon. I said hello when I passed them."

"You are right she did try and play the 'daddy card ' as you call it. I told her that she must own up to her actions and take whatever punishment that was given her."

"I must say I'm surprised."

"Tony we have played this game before. I am no fool and neither are you, as much as you like to play one. Ziva is spoiled and willful and she was blessed or cursed with her mother's and my temper. I will not interfere with whatever Leon has decided. What is the expression. 'She made her bed, now she must lie in it.'" Eli sips his wine and nods his head. "Very good. I like this very much, you have good taste. What it is?"

Tony smiles and lifts the bottle and removes the towel wrapped around it, then hands the bottle to Eli. "I must go thank you for the drink, Director."

As he turns to walk away Tony can hear Eli's laughter fill the room as well as his parting words. "Well done Tony." Eli says as he puts the bottle of wine from his own country back on the table. "Well done indeed."


	16. Dr Pitt

_Guess what the muse paid me a visit. Hope you like this one as well. It will be a little bit dark._

He hops off of the exam table and grabs his shirt as Brad washes his hands. It doesn't take him long to get dressed. By the time Brad has finished washing he was done as well

"Let's go to my office." Brad tells him not even bothering to wait for an answer he opens the door knowing that Tony will follow him.

Tony gets two bottles of water from the small fridge that his friend always keeps stocked he places one on Brad's desk then opens the other before he sits down.

"You've lost weight, but gained muscle, that's good." Brad says as he reads from the file in front of him.

"More time in the gym." Tony admits.

"You're anemic boost your iron intake. And don't play that I hate veggies card with me, I've seen you eat remember. You might be able to fool the people you work with but not me."

Tony just smiles and drinks some more water.

"I wish I could tell you that your lungs are getting better, but they are not. Stable and unchanged that in itself is a good thing."

"I know. I was hoping that they would get a little bit stronger."

"Sorry Tony I really am."

"I've been wanting to talk to you about something serious Brad."

Hearing the tone in his friends voice Brad put the file down and gives Tony his full attention "Okay Buckeye spill." Brad says trying to bring some levity into the conversation.

Tony can't help but smile at his friend, for Brad Pitt was his friend he saved his life and for that he will forever grateful. "You know how Ducky is and well Gibbs just thinks he can order me not to die and I'll obey."

"I remember I though he was completely nuts when he did that."

'With my line of work the chances that I will die an old man are slim to none. One good cold or flu and I'm back in the hospital."

"We've been lucky. You take your meds and get your flu shot and you wash your hands all the time. You've been taking care of yourself better than you did in college."

"I know between you and Ducky I have no choice." Tony chuckles.

"So what do you need?"

"You take this." Tony says as he pulls an envelope out of his suit jacket inner pocket.

Brad opens the envelope and reads the letter inside ."It's a DNR. It also give me the right to end life support when I think its time."

"I trust you Brad. And you'll know when it's time. I don't want to live hooked to machines. Gibbs will order me not to die and Ducky will fuss. I need you to do this for me."

"Why me, why not your dad?"

"Ah my dad. Still a conman still chasing after the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I need someone that will respect my wishes and will know when there is no more hope for me to make a full recovery. That my friend, is you."

"Okay Tony I can do that for you."

"You might not even have to do it for me. I could get shot and die out in the field."

"You get shot and come into the ER. I'll pull the plug even before you get to the OR."

"I knew you cared. So dinner on Friday?"

"Dinner, now get out of here I have sick patients waiting for me."

"See ya later Brad, say Hi to Nurse Emma for me."

Brad shakes his head as his friend closes the door to his office. It was the one thing he had hoped Tony would never ask of him. But he knows that his friend has no one else in his life that will respect his wishes. To be asked to do this is an honor, he just hopes that he will be up to the task when the time comes.

He opens the envelope again to put the letter back he sees a smaller piece of paper. He takes it out and starts to read as he reads he laughs.

_You can do it Brad. I know you can. If I wasn't sure I would never have asked you. Trust in yourself you're stronger than you know. By the way your paying for dinner I'm just a lowly fed you're a doctor making the big bucks, Commander Pitt._

"You win Buckeye." Brad mumbles as he leaves his office.


	17. Ducky

_Hello here is a new one, my daughter fed the muse. As always I make no money._

He declined the use of the limousine, he really didn't see the point it was only him at the small service. He stayed for some time after the Minster had left, lost in his own thoughts. When he heard the groundskeepers cough softly. He apologized to them for delaying their work. He put his hat back on his head and walked away, his head held high he never once looked back.

He drove the long way home in his Morgan, he needed to clear his mind and let go of the past. Yes his mother had been ill for a long time and he would miss her terribly, to tell the truth it was a relief that she had finally succumbed to the long battle of Alzheimer's. A dreadful disease, and it destroyed her bit by bit. Taking a once strong and vibrant woman and leaving a shell of her former self in it's wake.

He drove for over an hour it was only when he felt the call of nature that he drove to his home. A big barn of a home, he would have to do something about it. It was too much of a house for him, as much as it saddened him to let it go. He needed something smaller, something he could manage with little effort on his part.

As he walked up to his front door, he became somewhat alarmed, it was too quiet. The dogs, his mother's blessed Corgis should be barking up a storm. Maybe they were sleeping it has been a rough few days and their schedule is off.

He opened the door and waited listening for them, not hearing anything at all he grabs a sturdy umbrella from its stand. And starts for the back of the house fully intending to look in each room as he goes. He doesn't take two steps before he sees the reason why the dogs are so quiet.

His friend Anthony DiNozzo standing at the entrance to the kitchen holding a tea cozy.

"Ducky just in time. I just poured the water." Tony says before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Ducky put the umbrella down on the nearest piece of furniture before continuing on to the kitchen.

Once in his large kitchen he can see that his friend has indeed been rather busy.

"Anthony?"

"Have a seat Ducky. I made you tea and a few small sandwiches I didn't know if you would be hungry. But you really should eat something either way."

"How very kind of you." Ducky replies as he reaches for a small sandwich.

"Don't mention it Ducky. Now I made you enough meals to last you two weeks I put them in the freezer. You just have to add a small salad. Please Ducky trust me, I did take nutrition classes in college, protein, starch and two veggies."

"I do trust you my young friend, thank you."

"The dogs have been walked and fed. I even brushed the Contessa for you. They should be fine until you let them out before you retire for the night."

"Anthony?"

"Yes Ducky."

"Who told you?"

"One of the nurses, I asked her to let me know. I told her that I worked with you, and that I didn't want you to have to deal with everything alone. She said I was a good friend."

"She's right, you are."

"Now where was I? I gave the house a once over the windows and doors are all locked and secure. I put the commode in the garage."

"I've been meaning to that, I just didn't have the heart."

Tony nods his head understanding completely. He waits until all of the dishes are washed and put away before he decides it's time for him to leave Ducky. So his good friend can mourn his loss in peace.

"Ducky, you know your mom, well, she was one hell of a broad. I bet she's already found a new Italian gigolo furniture mover of her own, to order about. Seriously Ducky, she's not in pain anymore and can finally rest. It was time my friend, she fought long and hard."

"Anthony." Ducky says but gets no further.

Tony looks away and sighs before he answers. "You were not the only visitor she had, she needed her gigolo there too. I left a list of organizations that rescue Corgis on your desk, just in case you want to give them to good homes. I know they were your mothers and with our hours, it's not fair to them. Let me know what you decide."

"Anthony I will, and thank you."

"My pleasure Dr. Mallard."


	18. Abby

_Guess what the muse paid a visit! Just a short one with Abby, as I not a fan of hers I'm not going to bash her, much. Just a little bit. I hope you enjoy this little one as well. Now remember boys and girls I make no money for these rambling of mine. Thank you very much for all of the reviews and alerts not to mentions the favorites. They make the struggle to find each word worth while.  
_

She stomped her feet as she walked into the bullpen. Stopping only when she got to Tony's desk.

Flaying her arms above her head she stomps her foot like a toddler having a temper tantrum.

"Is there a problem Abby?" Tony asks. Making sure he keeps his voice calm and collective.

"Problem? Of course there is a problem." she shouts back as she paces back and forth.

"How can we help you solve this problem?"

"Not them." she answers waving her hands at Gibb, Tim and Ziva. "You."

"What did you do now agent DiNozzo?" Director Vance calls down from the stairs as he makes his way to the bullpen.

"I have no idea Director Vance. Until she tells me what is wrong I can't do anything."

"Abs, lean on my desk and tell us what happened." Gibbs tells her then guides her so she can lean on her desk. Moving her away from Tony is more for Tony's protection than it is for her to calm down. Gibbs knows that she had a mean right hook.

"Miss Scuito why don't you tell us what happened?" Vance orders.

"I went to a new club last night with five of my friend. They were all allowed in by the doorman, I was not! I was told that I was on a list of people who where not allowed in.

ME not allowed in I've never been on a banned list before."

"DiNozzo." Gibbs growls.

"Abby why don't you tell the rest, you know about our conversation yesterday. Or do you want me too?"

Vance and Gibbs look at Abby and wait for her to say something.

"He asked me not to go to the new club, that he had a funny feeling. He asked me to come over and watch a move that he would send out for my favorite take out. I told okay that I would come over. But I got a call from my friend's friend she begged me to change my mind telling me that nothing would happen besides some good music and a few drinks."

"So you went with your friends and blew off Tony?" Gibbs asks.

"Well yeah you know how you and Tony get all hinky and cop like when ever I go out."

"DiNozzo was there a reason you didn't want Abby to go?" Gibbs asks.

"I got a tip, Abby is well known because she works here. I was told there was going to be a raid, and that they were going to arrest everyone in the place. I knew she would change her mind. So I made a few of my own calls. The door man works for Metro PD I sent him your picture."

"Why didn't you just tell me I would have stayed home, that is after I told all my friends not to go too."

"You can't keep a secret Abby that's why, it was an important bust for them." Tony explains then he strikes some keys on his keyboard. "Look at the plasma."

They all look at the plasma a news report appears on the screen along with some photographs of people in handcuffs being led away.

"Any of our people arrested?" Vance asks.

"Not that I know of, sir."

"Abby go to work."

"But Gibbs." Abby whines.

""He just saved your job and the director a big headache." Gibbs informs her. "Go back to your lab."

"Think she'll listen next time?" Tony asks as she disappears around the corner.

" Not likely. Have you sent your friend the thank you gift yet?" Gibbs asks.

"Not yet."

"Double it and sent the bill to me, I'll sent it to the accounting department." Vance tells him, then he walks away after a slight tip of his head in DiNozzo's direction.

"Yes sir." Tony replies.

"Gift? What gift?" Tim asks.

"Coffee and a tray of Danish." Gibbs answers.


	19. Tim

_Just a short one. Spoilers for House rules._

Hearing the knock on his apartment door Tim sighed he didn't want to see anyone. All he wanted was to be left alone. He tried to ignore the knocking but he couldn't not with his job. So he exhaled slowly then made his way to the door.

Seeing Tony standing there carrying a large canvas bag, in one hand and a tray holding two large coffees in the other.

"Is there a case?"

"No case." Tony answers as he slips by him.

Tim shakes his head as he closes the door, then follows Tony into the kitchen. All he can do is watch as Tony unpacks the canvas bag and place containers on the table.

"I brought food. I figured that your cupboard would be bare. A salad because it makes Ducky happy, a fruit tart well we are watching our weight, sweet and healthy at the same time and for the main part of the meal my homemade lasagna."

"Tony?"

"You have a micro plane or a cheese grater, Tim?" Tony asks as he pulls out a chunk of Parmesan cheese from the canvas bag.

Tim knows that nothing he says will stop Tony now so it is better to just give in. He get the cheese grater from the drawer then joins Tony at the table.

He has to admit the food is delicious and he is hungry. They eat the meal in comfortable silence. Neither one of them feeling the need to talk it was the first time since his father's passing that he felt the unbearable feeling of heart wrenching pain start to leave.

Together they cleaned the kitchen and put the leftovers in the fridge. When Tim offered to make fresh coffee Tony nodded his head yes. "That would be great Tim, thanks.

They drank their coffee in kitchen nibbling on some cookies that Tony pulled out from the bag. They kept the conversation light and of no importance, just scuttlebutt. It was nice not having to try an engage in anything more in depth.

"I have to go Tim. I've got a hot date waiting for me."

Tim just smiles knowingly. " Where are you taking her? You know your neighbor, Mrs. Peterson."

Tony smile and tips his head slightly. "She wants to go to the market, her grand-kids are coming and she wants to make some cupcakes."

"Hey Tony." Tim calls out as he reaches for the door knob. Tony stops turns and looks at him. "Thanks."

"See you tomorrow at work Probie." Is all that Tony says before closing the door. Almost like the last few hours were nothing special.

McGee stepped into the elevator and held the door open when he heard Gibbs holler out to him.

"Boss."

"How ya doing Tim?"

"Better, thanks."

"DiNozzo show up at your place last night, with food?"

"How did you know?"

"He did the same thing to me when Jack died. He brought coffee and Chinese he watched me sand and sip my coffee. We talked about nothing important just scuttlebutt, when he left a few hours later I felt better."

"Me too. I don't get him boss, Sometimes he is such an overgrown kid other times he is the best agent in the building, no offense."

"None taken."

"You know Tim when his mother died he was never allowed to mourn. DiNozzo men don't cry, DiNozzo men are tough, and they don't let anything or anyone make them think otherwise."

"But he was a kid."

"The kid was never allowed to mourn, but the man wants us to be able to mourn our loss, and lean on him if we need too. In his own way he was telling us that we can mourn and cry if we want too, that he will watch our six and protect us."

"One day I'd really like to find out what makes him tick."

"Never going to happen McGee, Tony is an expert at hiding behind a multitude of masks. You'll never have a better friend and he'll always have your six, he'll even take a bullet to save your life and not think twice about it. you get it now Tim."

"Yes sir, I think so."


	20. Circling the wagons

_Not mine never will be but I wish it was, as do we all._

Tony had been on the phone for an hour straight. One call after another, both Bishop and McGee kept looking over at him wondering what he was doing. When he finally stands up he goes to Ellie first.

"Go home and pack a bag, there is an agent waiting to bring you to your house then to NSA you're going to be staying there for a while until this blows over. It's an order Bishop."

When she starts to say something Tony cuts her off before she got her first word out. "Ducky is going to L.A. a medical conference of sorts. Abby, Jimmy and Brenna are going to New Orleans for an other conference."

"You're splitting us up. Aren't you?" Ellie asks.

"I'm protecting my team and family. Please do what I'm asking you to."

"Yes sir."

"Good. I'll see you soon, and Bishop, stay out of it, understand?" She nods her head then grabs her things before she heads out.

He waits until she is gone before he turns to McGee. "I need you to do something, Tim"

After listening to Tony. Tim shakes his head no. "Can't do it Tony." Is the reply that Tony knew he was going to get.

"Just do it McGee." Tony orders.

"I'm not sure about his Tony."

"I'm not asking you Tim, I'm ordering you. Don't ask me why, just do it and do it now. If anyone asks tell them I ordered you to do it or I would charge you with insubordination." Tony tells him as he gets closer getting into his personal space.

"You wouldn't Tony, would you?" Tim asks as his voice goes up an octave.

"No, Tim I wouldn't but no one else has to know that. Look you're the future of this agency not me. We both know this, we also know that Gibbs is going to go lone wolf on us again. I can't stop him, but at least slow him down, but not you. You stay out of it that way you have no knowledge of what is going on."

"What if you need something found something that . .."

"I already have someone lined up to help Tim. Someone who is incredibly gifted, no worries there and the less you know the better off you are. Now do your thing put all of the stuff we have about Sergei Mishnev including that virus on the laptop."

Tim nods his head then opens the box that contains a brand new laptop. He looks at his friend. "What about registering the laptop? Never mind, forget I asked. I'll use Eli David it's all his fault we are in this mess to begin with the bastard should have kept it in his pants."

"Now you're learning. You know you don't look well you should go home to your mother, you look like you're coming down with the flu. Make sure you pack extra ammo with you when you go. Take your sister too, I'm sure she would like to spend sometime with just the three of you.

It doesn't take Tim long to do what is needed. He closes the laptop and hands it back.

"What about you? Where are you going?"

"Not my first rodeo McGee, the less you know the better. Call your sister, call your mother and go, be careful Tim. I like having my little brother around to tease."

Tony grabs his weapon and then slips an extra box of ammo into his backpack before he heads out. Leaving Tim to silently watch him leave with a determination that can only mean trouble.

"Agent McGee." Vance calls out.

"Sir?" Tim replies,

"Make sure you don't come back until your flu has run it's course."

Tim is completely shocked as Vance continues walking without saying another word. Son of a bitch, Vance knows, he knows what Tony is up too and he is not going to stop him.

Tony stops by the security are to check in before enters the FBI building. He goes straight to Fornell's office having been there a few times before.

"I came to invite you to dinner at Gibbs' house. Lasagna, salad, bread sticks and chicken Parmesan, I'm buying. We have to pick up two friends of ours from the BAU."

"Who?" Fornell asks.

"Morgan and his beautiful wife. I already called them and asked if they could help us on the sly, him for his profiling skills and her because she can do things with a computer that are illegal and not get caught."

"When?"

"Now of course by the time we get at Gibbs' house the food will be arriving too. I love Giovanni's food and Maria promised to add a dessert because Penelope is coming."

Twenty minutes later Tony opens the door to Gibbs' house and lets Penelope go in first, to be followed by Morgan then Fornell.

Tony walks up to Gibbs and can see the anger in his eyes. " Not this time, you are not going off half cocked a acting like a lone wolf. I brought you the best, one profiler, and one of the most dangerous hackers in the world , and our friend Fornell. We eat make a plan, then get this bastard. We are going to circle our wagons, any objections?"

Gibbs blinks once he know that Tony has once again come to cover his six.

"What are we eating?" He asks then takes along sip of his cup.


	21. Sharing a meal with old friends

_Just a little something that came to me, as always I own nothing at all. My many thanks go to WmGeorge for her fantastic work in repairing all of my mistakes._

He couldn't help but smile as he watched them standing there. They were just what they looked like, agents - they didn't even try and blend in with the crowd. Maybe it was easy for him because he knew them so well, but in a city like D.C. there were agents everywhere. After awhile no one took notice anymore.

That in itself was dangerous. If they all looked the same, then hiding in plain sight for an assassin would be as easy as stealing candy from a baby. In this case the agents were old adversaries turned friends. Liat and Malachi two of his favorite Mossad agents. He knew others but these two – well, he counted them as friends, and if they every called and asked for help he would go in a heartbeat, just like he knew they would come to him if he asked.

He walked up between them and draped an arm over their shoulders. He kissed Liat on the cheek and patted Malachi on the back. Before they had a chance to react he dropped his arms and stood there smiling at them.

"You look hungry. Are you hungry? I know of a great place to eat, my treat."

Malachi sighed and turned his head. "Agent DiNozzo?

"Come on Malachi, it's Tony, remember?" He straightened his tie and grinned.

Liat couldn't help but smile as she looked at him. "Tony, we are working."

"No you're not, your boss is in a meeting for the next four hours. If you look at one o'clock high, you'll see our friendly neighborhood sniper. Nice guy, just got married last month. And there are three more up there. There are agents on the floor at every door, no one is going to be bothering anyone at their meeting. As for your boss, nice lady that she is, she gave you the next four hours off."

They didn't look you to see the sniper they just laughed. "So where are we going to eat?" Liat asked.

"Not far, it's not fine dining just good honest food. It's a cop diner, lots of agents go there and you'll like it because you won't have to be on your guard. Trust me."

"If we didn't trust you Tony, we would have killed you after you kissed Liat." Malachi smirked at him.

The owner of the diner met them at the door. "Tony! You haven't been in to eat in a long time."

"Lots of cases, you how it is, Debby."

"Friends of yours?" she asks, giving his companions the once over.

"Very good friends, agents from a sister agency from over seas."

"Welcome to Debby's Bar. Or as the boys like to call it Double D's. Have a seat, your usual table is free. I'll send Annie over."

"Thanks Debby." Tony dropped a kiss on her cheek, then led the way to the table.

"Why do they men call this place double D?" Liat asked. "Is it because of her large breasts?"

"No, and I don't call her that, some of the old timers do. Debby shot a would be robber with a double barrel shotgun. The kid lived, but he will never walk again."

"She should have aimed better," Malachi said with a shrug.

"She was married to a cop who was killed in the line of duty. She couldn't kill someone else knowing just how much pain it causes. No one bothers her now that this has become a well-known and liked cop diner. I mean you'd be crazy to try and rob a place that is always full of cops and agents."

The three of them stopped talking when Annie came over with menus. "What can I get you to drink, Tony?"

"Coffee for the men and orange juice for my lovely friend here." Tony waved at Liat.

"I'll be right back with your drinks."

"I would have liked a cup of coffee too, I am a little sleepy."

"Coffee isn't good for the baby." Tony smiled at her, then looked at Malachi. "So am I going to be invited to the wedding or not?"

Malachi raised his brows. "How did you know?"

"I've been watching you since you got here three days ago. You, my friend, have it bad for her. It's only natural to want to protect your child and the woman you love. Besides, she glows, and every time she looks at you she has this expression like a kitten that just finished a bowl of cream."

"I have seen that look on her face more than once." Malachi laughed.

"Yes, Tony you will be invited to our wedding." Liat shook her head in amusement.

"You know, Tony will make a nice middle name to go along with what ever Hebrew first name you decide to give my adopted nephew or niece. So can I give the baby a 22 rifle for his sixth birthday or should I wait and get him a nice hand gun?"

"What ever you give our child, I know it will given with love and that you will care for him in should anything happen to us." Malachi tilted his head in respect.

"Damn right I will, right after I put a bullet in the SOB that got you first. Now what do you feel like eating?"


	22. folDedeAr97

_Hello boys and girls, I hope you are all well. Here is just a little one I hope you all like it._

He juggled the boxes in his arms after knocking on the door, he didn't have to wait long for it to be answered.

He had to smile when he heard Ducky's voice. "Anthony my boy what are you doing here? Let me help you." Ducky says.

"I've got it Ducky, if you could open the door and step to one side, please."

"Yes, of course how very inconsiderate of me."

"You're never inconsiderate Ducky." Tony tells him after he puts everything down.

Tony steps around Ducky and closed the door smiling as he returns to stand beside his friend.

"What brings you here? I imagine you have better things to do than keep an old man company on a Saturday afternoon."

"I come bearing gifts, this one first I think." Tony reaches into he jacket pocket and pulls out a tin of Scottish tea.

"How wonderful my favorite brand too, thank you."

" You're welcome, I saw the empty tin in the trash bin yesterday." he replies

"How very kind of you to replace it for me." Ducky tells him.

"I have a surprise for you, why don't we go sit down on your sofa." Tony says then picks up the smaller of the boxes.

"I overheard you tell Jimmy that you were so happy that he came to see you with his wife. That you hated to admit that sometimes you get a little lonely ."

"Well it comes to all of us, if we out live our friends and family."

"I thought you might like to have something to come home to." Ducky watches as Tony opens the box and pulls out two fluffy bundles of fur, one snow white the other smoky grey.

"Here." Tony says then places both of the kittens on Ducky's lap. " They are three months old, sisters, and they have had their shots and have been spayed."

"Anthony they are beautiful animals, how did you?" Starts to asks only to have a kitten start to climb on his chest and soon settle on his shoulder. The other kitten soon followed settled on his other shoulder.

Tony couldn't help but smile watching as Ducky petted both kittens at the same time. Making them purr loudly in stereo.

"Anthony these animals are very valuable, and expensive ."

"No worries Ducky, nothing but a little quid pro quo. I got you a litter box, battery operated, it cleans itself. You just have to empty the holding bin. A few days supply of food and a few toys. I figured with all of the medical treatment you've giving me over the years I owe you big time."

"They are a wonderful gift , thank you so very much."

"How about some tea Ducky while I set up the litter box, where would you like me to put it ?"

After helping Ducky clean up the tea cups and plates for the few cookies the men shared, Tony put his coat on.

Ducky looked and him in his own sort of glare. "How did you know?"

"Excuse me?"

"How did you know that I've always wanted a cat of this breed?"

"Oh that. It was your password to log-on, I saw you type it once, _folDedeAr97. _I kept a look out for Scottish Folded ear kittens. With the two of them they won't be all alone when you have to work late."

"But that was years ago, when you just started." A startled Ducky replies.

"Thanks for the tea Ducky, I'll see you on Monday." Tony says with a smile just before he closes the door.

Leaving Ducky saying thank you the closed door, as the kittens meow at he feet.


	23. Carpe diem

_You all know the drill I make no money just lovely reviews. I do promise to put them back when I am done. As for this final chapter in this series, well it was time; I give you fair warning some of you aren't going to like it. This one is not beta'd, I think I broke her sending so many stories to her. So I'm giving her a rest.  
_

Gibbs looks at Tony's empty desk for the third time in as many weeks and cursed the man for leaving without a word to anyone. All he knew was that he was ordered to go undercover. No one would tell him anything and even with all of McGee, and Abby's hacking nothing was found as to his whereabouts.

Tossing his empty coffee cup into the trash he reaches for the next file on his desk only to be interrupted by his desk phone ringing.

"Gibbs." He says in his usual gruff manor.

"Come to my office I have something for you."

"On my way Director." He says then hangs up the phone.

"Have a seat Gibbs." Leon orders turning from the wet bar. He places a tumbler with two fingers worth of an amber colored liquid in front a seated Gibbs.

Only then does he hand Gibbs a sealed envelope.

Gibbs recognizes the writing, only one man other than Ducky has penmanship that refined. A firm hand something that was learned years ago and was truly beautiful a lost art. He looks back up at Vance and glares at the man.

He opens then envelope and takes out two pages of plain white paper on NCIS letterhead no less.

_Boss,_

_First of all stop glaring at Vance it's not his fault he had no idea. He was kept out of the loop as well. All he was told was that I was being sent on a need to know mission, and he didn't need to know._

_Secondly if you are reading this then I'm dead. I died the way I wanted, doing my job. I always knew that I would die in the line of duty. So did you, admit it._

_Let's get down to the nitty gritty of things. Before I left I saw Brad he told me that I had maybe six months if I was lucky. Seems my friend, that lovely Y-Pestis has reared its ugly head and is slowly destroying my organs one by one. Nothing can be done it's inevitable that I will die a slow agonizing death. No thank you, not if I can help it._

_So it was a godsend when I was summoned by the powers that be to do a little job for them and well. . . need to know and all that. You know how it is._

_As you have all ready guessed the mission was not sanctioned, I knew this going in. And I was fine with it. They needed my skill set that's why I was asked to go._

_Enough about that I'm sure you will hear about what happened somewhere along the line. Just so you know no body will be coming back to you, unsanctioned remember, don't look for me. If you must light a candle for me when you light one for your girls._

_I need you to do a few things for me, please. They won't be hard and you only have to do three things._

_Hand McGee the spare keys to my place, well his place now. I sort of forged his signature on some forms when I added his name to the deed to my condo. Now he and Delilah have a place they can call home._

_Help Jimmy move the piano to his place I want him to have it. He plays very well and it really should go to someone that will actually use it._

_Lastly call Steve he'll know what to do with the rest of my things. That's it._

_You know Gibbs not a day has gone by that I'm not grateful that I followed you to NCIS._

_You gave me something that I never truly had before stability and a home, a real home._

_I won't get mushy it's just not something that neither one of us do._

_You're the best partner that I ever had, head slaps and all._

_I won't be there to __watch your six, but don't be surprised it I don't find a way to make my presence known to you. Maybe a ghostly head slap of my own, I might even spill your coffee. On second thought that might not be such a good idea, I wouldn't put it past you to head slap even if I am a ghost._

_Carpe diem, Tony._

* * *

He picks up the drink and sees that Vance is holding one of his own. "Was the missions successful?"

" Yes."

The two men raise their glasses, in a wordless toast, then quickly toss them down.

Gibbs hands the letter to Vance, "I'd like it back after you've read it." He turns and start to walk towards the door, only to stop when Vance call out to him.

"Gibbs, Jethro. Do you want me to tell the rest of the team."

"I'll tell them, don't worry I'll think of something."

To say he was exhausted when he got home would be an understatement. He kept it simple that Tony died in an undercover mission and his body was all ready buried.

Abby and Ellie went to the nuns to say a prayer and light a candle. Tim held the keys in his hand and held his emotions in check as silent tears went unshed.

Ducky poured out a wee dram and they shared a drink in Tony's memory. He looked back at his friend he could swear the elder M.E. looked older than he had just a few moment before.

Once home after locking his weapon away he rubbed his hand over his face. He was frozen in place not really knowing what to do. He needed to eat something what he really wanted to do was drink until he could forget.

Hearing his front door open he was surprised to see Fornell standing there with a bottle of 400 dollar bourbon and a bag from top of the line butcher.

"Jethro, it seems like the kid took care of everything. I got a call from his lawyer he left me some money and this bottle. With a note telling me what to do. So cowboy steaks and bourbon? I have a bottle of that beer you both liked to cook your steak in."

"I'll get the iron pan. You get the plates." Gibbs replies then turns to start the fire.

"What I want to know is how he knew?" Tobias asks as they sipped their drink long after the meal was over and the embers of the fire were slowly dying.

"Drove me crazy more than once, he would never say either. Just smile, that smile of his. Tony always knew."


End file.
